The miracle of seed (a tiny source holds the potential within) to recreate an entity of a plant or tree. We like many other species enjoy its pleasures through the taste of its fruit, smell from its flower, and relax under its shade. It is the seed that holds promise for the future. The huge diversity of crops that we see in Indian agriculture would not have been flourished without the constant engagement of the smallholders with the seed. This enriching diversity of seed gives resilience to life.

The Indian agrarian society has a rich heritage of traditional variety seeds which has been compromised due to the advent of corporations and companies in agriculture. The need for seed conservation becomes more vital due to climatic challenges and the invasion of hybrid and GMO seeds.

Community seed systems are the foundation for on-farm crop diversity to ensure the local seed requirements of smallholders of the region. These local seed systems are further strengthened by seed exchange among the smallholders. These exchanges are not limited to seeds but also other planting materials inclusive of their knowledge and learning associated with it. This ensures that crop/farm diversity is maintained and increased in their respective field. However, due to socio-political factors, the local seed systems in many places have been at risk which threatened the local food system and seed self-sufficiency which is key to the regeneration of local farm diversity.

Additionally, Districts like Sagar and Mandla in Madhya Pradesh are exposed to unprecedented heavy to very heavy rainfalls, drought, prolonged dry spells resulting in low crop production. Whereas the influence of hybrid and GMO seeds by external actors have drastically narrow-down the genetic purity of the local seed and genetic diversity in traditional seed production and its restoration.

The Smallholder Adaptive Farming and Biodiversity Network (SAFBIN) program of Caritas India has developed a simple module in consultation with smallholder farmers collectives (SHFC) by establishing community based traditional seed banks in every community. This has promoted community seed fairs to facilitate access to and use of a diverse range of locally produce seeds to promote seed security with diversity.

“Seed fair is very crucial for smallholder like us as we do get good quality traditional seeds in exchange. We usually don’t pay for the seeds that we take from the seed bank or seed fair which is a great relief for us. We do exchange our varieties to ensure the maximum crop diversity to make our small farm more resilient,” shared Jagdish Yadav, Sarpanch of Bagrohi village

The community seed fair organised by the local SAFBIN team on January 29, 2022, at Shahgarh block of Sagar District saw a participation of 176 smallholders from different program areas (Mandla and Vidisha districts) to share their experiences. Around 62 types of traditional seeds of climate-resilient variety were exhibited under the ‘Seed Saver’ initiative. 83 smallholders have exchanged their local seeds with smallholders of other regions to make the seeds available to them in time. The importance of community seed banks in ensuring quality seeds was justified by sharing smallholders’ testimonies during the program.

18 types of Kodo, Kutki, Jowar and Niger (Jagni) seeds were exchanged by the farmers of Mandla and Vidisha district during the Seed Fair with the farmers of Sagar to make their small farms more diverse and resilient to cope with various climate shocks.

“Although we are restricted and limited to many entitlements due to Covid-19 pandemic, but this is a kind of programme initiated by SAFBIN team has greatly impacted the smallholders of this region in accessing the quality seeds from our community seed banks,” said Manisha Devi, Secretary District Farmers’ Forum.

Community Seed Fairs provided smallholders with the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences on their present as well as new crops they grow. This helped them to gather necessary information about the local seeds and their production capacities. The seed fair also enables to exchange of seed propagation materials among smallholders and help to create a market in their respective localities and finally, it allows smallholders’ organisations to showcase their capacities by creating an inclusive social interaction.

Mr. B N Sharma, Block Agriculture extension Officer Shahgarh, Mr Harshdeep Yadav, Block Horticulture Officer Shahgarh, Mr Kishore Rai, President District Farmers’ Forum Sagar, Ms Manisha Lodhi, Secretary District Farmers’ Forum Sagar, Mr Prem Lal Patel, Cluster level facilitator and Gauri Shankar Asathi, Cluster level Facilitator were among the key resource persons at the seed fair to share the importance of the local seeds and role of smallholders as seed savers. The entire program was organised by Manav Vikas Seva Sangh, Sagar in coordination with SAFBIN team.